UNC’s 20-3 win over Charlotte marked Belichick’s first win as Tar Heel head coach. While not on the same level of competition as TCU, it is still an in-state opponent with nothing to lose. For Carolina, it was a conservative approach that secured a most needed victory. The confidence looked to be improved and the tackling was far more adequate.
Quarterback Gio Lopez returned after being injured versus TCU and looked much better completing 17 of 25 passes for 155 yards and adding 44 yards on the ground
for a total of 202 yards from scrimmage.. Unfortunately, most of his passes are still underneath dink and dunk throws as if OC Freddie Kitchens doesn’t trust him yet to go downfield.
Chris Culliver was well on his way to being Player of the Game with three receptions for 74 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown ,in the first half before going out with a shoulder injury. We’ll have to monitor his status and hope he is able to make a quick recovery.
It appears at least at the start of the season that Carolina is going with a running back by committee approach with five different backs getting multiple rushing opportunities. In this game it was Demon June who stood out with 52 yards on just nine carries and if he had he received a full workload he might have been awarded the honor. Looks like the coaching staff is still feeling out this tailback group before making a decision on who gets the lion’s share.
Ultimately, this game was a defensive battle and so the Player of the Game goes to senior linebacker Andrew Simpson. The Boise State transfer was a menace in the 49er backfield with four total tackles, including two TFL’s, one of which was a -11 yard sack. Here’s hoping he can continue wreaking that sort of havoc moving forward.
